The Sun. — London, England, 1818-01-31 00:00:00

annerokov‘e , COVENT-GAIIDEN THENTRICAL FUND. The Third Annivcrsary Dinner of the .Friends a•ocl Sdprorters of this Chority, took place yes tcrthy, at the Freemasons' Tavern, Great Queen 'street. Ott no lor►ner occasion was the company so numerous. The great room was completely filled—and the gar.erV exhibited a bright assent .blage of beauty, whose benignant smiles were at once the incentive to acts of kindness, and the besr reward which such acts could ilemaml, or could receive. Mt DUKE OF YORK took' fhe`Chair a little befOre seven o'clock. As lie entered the room, the hand sftiiek ilp " Om/ - sare the King." His Royal Trighnrss )ras whered 'into the room by the Stewards—and Was Accom panied by the 'following Noblemtn and 'Gentle- men : Lards Essex, Holland, PCtersliain, Varmonth, tO*ther, Twrrineon, and W. Lennox—Gen GWvon—Messrs. Drum mond Farrell, Massey Dawson, Pascoe Grenfell, George Col man, the 'younger, Henry Harris, Dent, Sir George Dein, Sir Jolin Sylveiter (the Recorder of London), Sir W. eh:Merton-, Sir L. St. George Sketlington, Dinner having beerreoncluded- , -- /Von nobis Domine was admirably snag. Mr. Taylor, of Covent-Garden Theatre, 'conduCted the trinsical part of tare entertainment, and conducted it must ably-. Amongst the vocal corps tee ob served-, Mr. T. Cooke, Mr. Durtiset-, 14;. vans., Mr. Leese, Mr. J. Isaacs, and Mr. 'Finney. The following toasts were then given from the Chair : Toast—" The King—God bless .him?* Sing—" God save the King." Toast—" The Prince Regent." Glee—" Hail ! star of Brunswick." Toast—" The (Inert)." t;lee—" When order in this land commenced.' Toast—" The Army." Glee—" Flow merrily we lire." Toast—" The Navy." " Emic Britannia," sung in parts—prineipni singers, Mr. T. Cooke, Mt. Taylor, Mr. Evans, and Mr. Lrete. Lord Hou.aten now rose and said, be was sure the. Gentlemen present would excuse hint for in terfering, for a few minutes, with their convivia lity, when they learned the reason which induced him to rise. His object Was, to propose to the respectable body then as sembled, in the shape of a toast, a health which would enable them to ex press those feelings, which, it was easy to he 'perceived, beat high in the heart of every Gen tleman present. The toast lie was about to pro pose could not be pia from the Chair. If it could, he should have been silent on this occasion. His object in rising was, to propose the health of the Illustrious Individual who filled the Chair—and, he was sure, that This was the most compendious Ar 4y of expressing.his own pleasure at seeing the Royal Duke in the Chair, at the same - time that it was the easiest mode of giving to others an opportunity of expressing their satisfaction on so auspicious an event. Many motives must induce the Gentlemen present to rejoice, when they saw the Chair thus filled—bot he. would not dwell upon them, because the individual to whom they related was present. The exalted rook—the il lustrious character- . --the well-known sirtues of their Royal Chairman—were topics highly worthy of attention ; but he was sure that he Avotild offend the delicacy of that Illti&trions Personage, if be touched upon them—and, actuated -by that feeling, -he should abstain, It was, however, a satisfaction to find that his .Royal Highness. was. so far recovered froM his late accident as to be able to attend on the present day.--(Apnlanse.)— To those who were acquainted with his Royal Highness, as he had the honour to be, it could not be a matter of surprise, that an accident, which deprived his Royal Highness of his usual amusements —of Lis customary recreations seas not sufficient, although severe, to prevent him front standing forward as the advocate of twice-blessed Charity !---(Applause.)--He should now beg leave to say a few, and a very few, words on the Institution, which the present assembly were called on to support—and on that body o f mcn, at whose request, on this occasion, so im portant to them, his Royal Highness had been pleased to take the Chair. With respect to this Institution, as far as its origin was concerned, his Lordship could say very little—hut, with its ge neral object and scope he was well acquainted— and all those who hearth hit», were, he believed, equally well acquainted with them, and approved of them as much as he did. His Lordship's knowledge of the persons professiOnally connected with the Stage, arose front accident. Two indi viduals, now departed, and the memory of both of whom he cherished, and ever should cherish, next his heart, occasioned his acquaintance with that body, for the helpless members of which the present Fund was intended. One of those indi viduals, the late Mr. Sheridan—w ho was an orna ment of the Drama—who was ao ornament of the Senate—who was an ornament of civil society— whose mind was as enlightened as his feelings were kind and liberal—whose talents were great, but whose charity was infinite—(Hear !)—IIe it was, who first hrought,him acquainted with actors. At a later period, in consequence of his situa tion, as one of the Committee of Drury-lane Theatre, he became more intimately acquainted with the character and conduct of th e p r i nc i pa l actors in this great metropolis ; and, in the situa tion which he held, lie had a fair opportunity of marking their manners. What was the result of his observation ? He found them liononrahle . their dealings--kind, affectionate, and friendly to one another—and liberal in their sentiments to wards all mankind—(Hear, bear!)—He felt great ly delighted at seeing his Royal Highness present on this occasion—not only because -he was the root and support of this promising tree—hot be cause he was at the head of that • profession, of which honour was the very essence.—(Hear, hear !)—The Noble Lord concluded by proposing The health of his Royal Highness the D u k e o f York, with (hire times three. The Duke of Yoan returned thanks in a few woids. He expressed the great pleasure he felt at seeing so numerous a company assembled on this benevolent occasion. The ilea, that ev er y Shilling subscribed this day went t t) 'alleviate the dislresses of sonic of those %vile) hid rendered onr lively hours more pleasant, or who had soodied the keen feelings that stung us in our less happy moments, would impart pleasure to all !hove who assisted the Fund,iauwever trifling their donation might be. giving— " Success to the Thratrie3l Fond." Song—•. blow! ! hon Winter's Wind!' Toa , t—" Lord Holland, and the esidents." The Earl retitt tied thanks. Son:;—Mr. Evans—" T:trry awhile with me, triv Lore toast—" The health of Mr. Fawcett, the Treasurer of the Institution."—. ( Great Applaose.),, Mr. FAWCETT rose and spoke as.foltows In -rising to _return .our Illu.trintis Chairman thanks for his gracious condescension in propos ing as a toast my health, it May, I tear, be expect ed of me to say something in behalt of our tution—.l say, I fear it may, hecanse, having had occasion of ten to speak on this sobject, the little infort»ation my limited abilities hare enable?, me airord, is now exhausted ; and I cannot recur to the history of the ri3c and pro t :ress of .this ex cellent establishment, without being thon,ght (at least by those who have been -present on former occasions) tiresome and tautological. But when 1 look round site, and perceive many exalted a nd respectable characters, whose good feeling to wards the helpless part of my profession has in duced them, for the first time, to be present to day, I must throw myself on the candour of- our old patrons, and implore their patience whilst 1 address myself more particularly to our new ones. I hare strong reasons for thinking, that the precise nature of this Institution is by no means generally understood. I could. wish, therefore, if 1 had the power to explain in a few words its great utility, and to show how it operates-for the protection. of the Actor, so. as to deserve:oe as sistance of the Public. His noyhi !rig co:;cluara by It is Ho Institution formed for the put pose of sheltering the aged and infit m performer from the last nhyss of human misery formed %kb the in tention, also, of rescuing hint from the painful task of intruding himself before that Public. (he once may have delighted) when iefirmitv _presses heavy upon him, when his. mind- and body are bending under a load of natural decay (and per haps before he is sans eves, sans teeth, sans-,every thing), afford him a little , leisure to collect his scattered thoughts, and breathe,-in goiet,.a.sbort prayer before•the curtain falls upon him for eier. Age and infirmity, wheo potntrayed with talent on the stage, create sympathy orderision, in pro portion as the character represented is virtuous or flagitious; but they would cease to give the least, gratification, indeed would be no longer tolerated,. or endured by a pritish audience, if they suspected the afflicted actor before them was really suffering under the pressure of either. It naturally follows, then, that young men, or at least Well in the vi gonr of life, must perform the aged characters ; and it a 3 naturally follows, , that .the aged actor must retire. Retire! retire is easily said ; and if any gentleman can give to the veteran - who has never had it in his power to hoard a shilling, a satisfactory explanation of that word, retire,- he. will be tinder a lasting obligation to him. That there are many who have passed most respectably through a theatrical life, appearing and conduct- . ing themselves like gentlemen, on very slender means, is a.. fact that is notorious. .This is the. character our Fond is most calculated to protect— 'tis he who cannot dig —to beg he is ashamed. It would be.the climax of buui taste. to distress• the feelings of this company, by.dwelling.upun. the unparalleled misery that has befallen my aged brethern, when the Theatres could :no longer re tain them in their service ; to enlarge on-tliese facts must excite sympathy, but it would cast R . gloom over the enjoymetit of the slay, that would be very foreign to toy inclination; 1 shall, there-- fore, content myself by declaring, the melancholy case too often occurs, and shall leave it to your imaginations to conjecture what that man's-situa tion must be,. who, having passed the greater part of his lite on the stage, unused to business,_ or employment of any other kind, when he finds himself suddenly, with no other warning than his infirmities, cast upon the world, to groan out a miserable existence without hope or shelter but in the grave. If this company admit the claim of such a - one to their sympathy, what will they not allow to the female part .of our fraternity ) 1t is a cruel and a vulgar prejudice to asix.rse the moral cha racter of the English Actress. - No females in early Hie are so exposed to temptation, and when they do. deviate ft oin the path of rectitude, the publicity of their calling makes that notosions which, in another, might pass unobserved. But, I am proud to say of them, collectively, they are good wives, good Mothers, and ex-cel• lent members of society—and I think you will admit I am borne Out in the opinion, when •I call to your recollection the noble and highly respectable.marriarjs that have been made frOm the Stage. And there a r e , I thank God, living proofs of my assert.ion,.i n t h e wives of Noble Men and Gentlemen, taken front the Stage, : who, by their private worth, have become ornaments to the exalted stations to which they have been raised. If, in the remembrance of all of us, the Stage has fur nished suds characters for private life, I take leave to assume many. more might .be.found,--but cannot be expected all should be - fortunate, , smit may be wished those who are not so could-find allesiation in. this Enact. Eor, though no man can he a more strenuous advocate f o r t h em titan I am, - yet candour compels me to admit one fault they do possess—a fault that many of them live to deplore—a sin of which they are sure to he d rieNe d— an d which they know, by the example of their predecessors, is visited by the heaviest penalty; the sin to which I allude is that of grow ing old. In this sin they. continue to indulge, not withstanding all its consequences ; but, as eha rim y covers a Multitude of other, sins, so, 1 hope, this charity will cover theirs. .. One more case (with your permission) I would Wish to state, berme I close the catalogue of woes that this Ftilld is calculated id soften, if not alto gether relieve. The case I would wish to press upon your particular consideratiou is that of either actor or actress, who, in ti e very ',him of life, by some mental or bodily infirmity, is .suddenly de prived of all power to follow this. uncertain pro fession=--for insignificant as some persons (nay please to think the actor, he must possess every faculty in full vigour, or fall to rise no more. By tde person; last described the importance and varue of this Fund is telt with a warmth ot grati tude not in my power to express—and, indeed, in adequate as I am, - I can give but a faint idea of heir feelings, or of the prodigious import an;e of tO tic re , retab:lly and st — ,:ll-doing of ilie• ,‘.4t L'Phi A spe , c h ,vas received with the mast entbtr- Qi;iitie applAim• 3 . mr. fI. and the Proprietors of Covent- Garden Them re." Mr. I-lAd in tr•ltrilinv: thanks. said, the Proprietors of Covent-Garden Theatre would feel very happy if, in the most remote degree,. they Could claim the merit of having assisted the Then rtical Fond. Ile hoped it would long continue to flourish—he trusted it would proSper more and more every year. It was his wish that it should proeerd in the inverse ratio of his speech.— Langhter.)—That vvonld be very brief, and lie trusted the Theatrical Fund would be most eaten. ,ive. tie should conclude by giving the health of a Gentle.nan,. who, as an author and a manager, had giveo the grea(est delight to the whole Hritish public. flaying said this, he hardly need mention the frame of " George Cohnan the Younger."— (Ulcers.) Mr. CoLmAN.—" Public speaking is totally out of my hands. I have some share also of that dif fidence which imy Brother Manager, Mr. Harris, feels—and which all Gentlemen, appertaining to the stage, are proverbially possessed of.—(Laugh ter.)—My speech shall therefore he as short as the shortest thing I can recollect—it shall he as short as—a summer season in the Llaymaiket Theatre.—(Laughter.)—Aftep f this, Gentlemen, I :shall - fay no more, btu expressty gratitude for the honour you have done me, by drinking, in re 'torn, all your bealtlis.7—(Applause.) - Toast.. process to the British Drama." Son—Mr. Emery—" York, you're wanteft." This song was originally sung by Mr. Inert i at his benefit—and, of course, related a good deal to himself. The following appropriate veins were last'night. introduced • ." At this big room I next look'd in, Where Gentlefolks were drinking, At that I'm sure I can work With any man, I'm thinking. BM Charity's the horsiness here, So off I quickly jannted— Me poor means would do no gomt, iTwas Royal York was wanted:" An encore followed this compliment. Toast-- r " Mr. Young, and the Gentlemen of the Com mittee." Mir. YOUNG returned thanks. Toast—" Pfuspeuity tot Unrry-Lane Theatre." DENT, one of the Drury-lane Committee, in returning thanks, observed, that the prosperity of both Theatres depended on an union . of senti ment—not a mercenary, hut a friendly union—= which, while it beneficed tire two Theatres, would tend essentially to the improvement of public amusements. At. twelve o'clock the illustrious Chairman withdrew—and the Company departed, highly de lighted with " The feast of reason and the flow of soul," which they bath uninterrupedly enjoyed during the evening. Mr. Fawctrr, before the 'keeling broke up, stated the amount of the subscription to be up wards of 1,0001. DISPOSAL, of the DIsntESsED SEAMBN. Yesterday.a very nuturrous Meeting of the Gen tletann;wlio ; hav,c been 4ctivtly employed in, dis pensing reli t f.t 9 the distressed tsi7amenwith whom the Metropolis was a few dnys ago crowded, t oo k p lace at the, King's Head lo the Poultry, for the purpose of discussing. the question of the ultimate dispo,,al of those claimants upon the puhlic bono ty; and of deliberating upon ,other niatter con nected with the efforts of the Committee. Tile LORD MAYOR, on taking the Chair, and {waling the statement of the advantages which ?tare already resulto frOm the plans adopted by the Committee, declared that his mast sanguine expectations had been exceeded, and that he and Ilk brother Magistrates felt in the circumstance of the great quantity of disagreeable daily employ ment that had been since its commencement taken uff their hands, the utmost confidence of success. Ile rejoiced : to have this opportunity of declaring what he knew would go forth to the public, to whom the intelligence was due, that the Conirnittee had the .higliest claims upon their gratitude, and that within a very short time numbers of the af flicting objects in'the streets of London would be disposed of beyond the probability of a relapse into that unhappy condition. CApHill ER AN LAND, previously to the com mencement of the discussion upon the specific ob ject at the Meeting, mentioned that some seamen who had pensions of 111. and 16./. a year, were found begging in the streets ; those certainly were not entitled to participate in that which was intended for the relief of the distressed ; Ott the contrary, they merited punishment, which he trusted the Lord Mayor was authotized to inflict. The Lotto Mavort repeated the assurance he ad made before, of a determination to render all the assistance in his power, by the apprehension of such mendicants, and thellisposal of them ac cording to law. Captain FRANKLAND said,- it was supposed by some that the cause - of his complaint originated in ; the want of vigilance upon the part of the po lice-officers, and perhaps in the want of integrity manifested in taking bribes to permit the solicit ing of charity. The LORD MAYOR said, he hail suspected that an understanding of that kind existed between some of the Police Officers and the begging sea men. lie hail told the former that he would in stantly suspend any person guil►y of such base conduct ; and he assured the Committee that no thing should change that intention. - • The object of the Meeting was then brought forward. Mr. LYALL objected to the principle upon which applications were made to the Coulmittee for a - supply of men, upon the ground that an op-. port unity was thus given CO sub , litnte seamen who were beggars, and had no characters, hi the room of those %vho.e conduct tTa 4 irreproachable. This was evidently the case, if it appeared that there wa s a yedmwafirl seamen. Tittle wa.t, he ,ides, anuthr. r. very important objection. namely, that of making the candidates lor employment pass through pauperism and mendicity h. fore they were supplied with all oeCasinn for industry.— This system would have the effect of counter acting the object - of. the Register-spice, was noW in progress, and which was established for the investigation of ,the characters Of appli cants for it needed no a . gument to prove that 'Cue pra'c'tiee a giving etriplry'rren lhote ' 4.11 ;f 4. had no character- was in c o ns i sten t ti 1.1" t regniring an indisputable reierence. The yneral sentiment .was against the ob s c rlA• tious of Mr. The Stc ETA Y oketred, that there r•1;,1 not appear riPpe.r hint to he grolind either tor sil`l e `. l ,. in;; the integrlt) of tlsi(te pObr fellows, 11 ' giving them the name of beggars. • The C" nl : Ildttee had done nothi ng t o confirm that tion, which had, lie thought, been erroneou'l, applied. Their wants proceeded, it way prt"... l generally knoWn, from unafoidable c it-rumitaoc e "„ . 'They were not VOL rants ; the Committee called upon to prevent them frimibeing made s": i and it %vas a tact that they %vete genera lly to" good character. n. ', e eScitt prospect was ce l tainly a pleasing o ne , f or i t p r esente d t h e area''') ) of restoring t h ose who were q ua lifi e d t o get. I .' l , the former co m f ort and independence of I"' condition. lie (lid not think there was a red , '" . : (fancy of seamen ; b a t there were, it, would Is! unjust that those upon whose interests the Co,oj. mittee was employed should suffer for the geoc ill body.--(Applause.) The Statement laid before the Meeting com Pry beaded the following important facts There are now in th e r i ver s i x s hi p; for . t" use of the healthy seamen, -and one hospital A bi r . They are capable of receiving 1400 men. One'tliousand and forty-one have been a!re 3 ' :)' receiverl on board. • One hundred and ninety-seven of those 41 '. been disposed of effectu a lly, sonici n nitkb*at> service and others in the 110vy. There are in attendance upon the sick., a 1.711,3:0 r cian, It sturgeon, and tw o as s i stant - surgeon s, ° by the Committee. One physician, Dr. Rankin, of the East - 1 1 Company's service, attends gratuitously. There are now on hoard 859, all of Iv" ii !' with the exception. of about 10, have been bo‘.. ing in the navy. The men certainly fit for service do not 1010 40 to less than 500. Ilut four deaths hare taken place since the ' l4° were fitted out for the itet-prion- of the melt'. About 120 have been cured-of : the itch. 1.11 ` 1 :' applicants for relief whom it was intpossild°:'': accommodate at the commencement and d a ri o ' , - Out prodigious influx of seamen in the sli4v , t workhouse,.and other places,. were supplied threepence each and a fourth of a quartern luau every day. Orders have been giv e n for several days flail 07 the officer of the Abundance rec. icing-Oil' take all seamen who apply on board for -e 019 • 1- oat ion. Mere is a 'regulation which was adopted . prileutly . when:The plan was proposed., pe,rsou, who,had an inteetio.us disease s hould , Oc‘ • , admitted amongst those poor. fellows, %% hose P" . verty subjected them to trials enough. duct adopt e d by the Committee, u p on ft!/trim" that were gro u nds fo r a pp re h ens i ons . of ' , just, is to give ..an,adettu , ate provision.to eased, and exclude him from all intercourse ‘e 34 ' l those who Would in all probability be great • terers by the communication. in the ((count hid lrefott the Con`ll7l4' . tee. €_; -, -; n r ell a seamen were not forgotten. it tzs statetl.t3l;.' there were 5 . 9' for, igo er s, b es id es th os e . who atutrunred to 43 ; ther e tuns affil t4 ll3lll '' - etrtirs' declaration,- that holc wire) , cnidit not provided ships, and %rho wer e riot very ftf' cepta,ble in their own countries as claimants urwi . public stupport, in consequence of haring fOog ilr f for England, should be cons4dereti - the tig.bt Englishmen. There appeared in a Sunday Paper a letter, in which • the conduct of the Committee wk. , 817 tacked. That letter was noticed upon this OeT ,sion, and declared to, be a m o st .gross falsebo ffl It related to the application of a black man f)''; relief, Avhich it assert e d w a s d e ni e d, and cOuti`,r, some comments upon the crnelf v. stated as lia' accompanied that denial. There appeared a Yrr i general feeling of indignatiou amongst thee . Coll" !puttee against the author of the mis-statemeot . , Whatever attacks they might be subject io fro o misapprehen;sinn oa the pant of (niters., or err",' upon theirs, they congratul a t e d the mse lves the undeniable fact, that they were i nst rumea" v to the relief - Of many poor fellows, who,veret , ''' almost sa'ely over the wint.er,and would have or' portunities very Soon of serving themselves. Aft er all necessary investigation, those who were tio' able to re-enter the service should b e se w ion , " yn the event of the refusal of Government to ta!s 4 them under its immediate protection. The opini,"' of many was, that all of those who are able " engage in active service %rill- be disposed o f in 51 weeks. Mr. LTALL repeate(l his objection to the and asked shether those seamen were pro‘ide uc or careful? Captain Fr big,: LAND admitted that seamen %ve la in the lhabit of losing, their money on coming IP - I o port. the Lour) Miami begged that no distinct ion ; should be thawn between those who were i n set:' vice and- those who wet e not. It could answ‘r no good purpose. Mr. LY ALL said, he was not thinking of distinc tions ; Ise merely meant that those men shoula not h e en o,tyed to the prejudice of ,ot hers. A Resolution was passed, signifying that the iimhbrr stated above "ere received on board tiro s l u t rs fitt e d op for the purpose, and appointio4 the rith of - February the last day of admission , ' except to those who labour under bodily defect 0 . . r infirmity. It mis also deerminell to apply to the Mini rah y to grant relief to such of the seamen as +Nem; unfit for service ; and a Select Committee w:" appointed to consider those several Resolution , * and t eport thereon. It was likewise resolved, that it should be 11“' duty of a Special Committee to consider the oto z proper means of employ;ng the Seamen while ( ,0 board the rtreption amps. Thanks having beet] %wed to tLe Lord Mayor ' the Meeting separated. The expenevs attending the plan ,amount upwards or . 8001. a weeli•. LONDON: Printed by J. C.IIISTA IRS, of No. 29, (;re" Ornmod-street, Qocen•square; 'and published by W• A . SCItIPpS, of N. 7, South Molten-sheet, at 'Puts (Nice, No. II'?. Strand; where Advettisementb. °Heist Letter), &e, xiust addecsced. t